“Why would the ref save you?” Alex Pereira gets reality check from Kamaru Usman after UFC 313 complaints
UFC welterweight star Kamaru Usman expresses dissatisfaction with Alex Pereira's performance against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.
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Kamaru Usman reacts to Alex Pereira's UFC 313 fight performance (Image via MMA Fighting)
Alex Pereira has established himself as a dominant competitor in the UFC. However, in a surprising turn of events at UFC 313, Pereira was unable to defend his light heavyweight title. Following his defeat, there was a lot of buzz in the MMA community, and recently Kamaru Usman shared some intriguing insights about the fight.
Dagestani MMA fighter Magomed Ankalaev proved to be a formidable opponent against Alex Pereira at the main event clash of UFC 313. After a grueling five-round battle, Ankalaev emerged victorious by unanimous decision. Interestingly, while Pereira critiqued the way the fight unfolded, Kamaru Usman hit him with a reality check.
I am not angry about the 3-2 decision for Ankalaev because I think in that fifth round, Alex Pereira did come out with a little bit more sense of urgency. He looked like he was trying to fight and actually go try to finish the fight, but Ankalaev would push him against the fence and wear him down again. Hey, it’s your job to get off the fence. If you’re not doing that then why would the ref save you?
Kamaru Usman via Pound 4 Pound podcast
In the UFC, Pereira has had many buzzing rivalries. Among them, his past feud with Israel Adesanya tops the list. Given that Usman shares a great camaraderie with Adesanya, there have been multiple occasions wherein the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ has taken a dig at ‘Poatan’. However, just ahead of UFC 313, both Usman and Pereira shared a friendly moment and greeted each other.
Usman’s comments on Pereira’s performance against Ankalaev were more advice than criticism. Notably, the Brazilian fighter had the chance to break the record for the most title defense wins in a year at UFC 313. However, in failing to defend his UFC light heavyweight title, Pereira also missed out on achieving a remarkable milestone in the promotion.
Alex Pereira takes a sly dig at Magomed Ankalaev’s fighting style at UFC 313
Magomed Ankalaev hails from a prominent lineage of MMA fighters in Dagestan, which has contributed to his strong wrestling skills. In addition to his grappling ability, Ankalaev also possesses decent striking power. While many notable figures in the UFC community believed the Dagestani fighter could pose a threat to Pereira, he consistently downplayed this notion.
In recent weeks, Pereira has raised concerns among many UFC analysts by attending concerts, while Ankalaev was diligently training. Consequently, last weekend, the Dagestani fighter demonstrated his skills to effectively challenge Pereira for the title. However, the Brazilian fighter was left disappointed with the outcome of the match.
Putting me up against the cage, he didn’t really do anything… Giving him the win with a gameplan like that, it kind of incentivizes people to do that.
Alex Pereira via UFC 313 octagon interview
After the closely contested match, the possibility of a rematch between Pereira and Ankalaev is generating buzz in the UFC community. UFC CEO Dana White, as well as the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion, have both expressed their support for making this matchup happen. It will be interesting to see when Pereira returns to the octagon to compete again.
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